THREE brothers have been rewarded for working for a total of 148 years for the same family.

Dennis, Geoff and Ted Glass yesterday received long-service awards from Great Yorkshire Show president Michael Abrahams on the second day of the three-day event, at Harrogate.

The trio, who all left school aged 14, spent their working lives as general workers at Low Swainby and High Ness farms, at Pickhill, near Thirsk. All are retired.

Ted, 78, and Geoff, 61, share a home at Little Studley, near Ripon, and Dennis, who recalled earning £3.10s when he started work, lives in Pickhill.

Their employer, John Fall, whose family has farmed at Pickhill since 1550, said: "It is unlikely that anything like this will happen again because people do not work for as long and do not tend to stay in the same job for as long. These brothers have been wonderful workers. They have been dedicated and hardworking and a delight to employ for all these years."

Colleague Robert Pattison received an award for working for Mr Fall for 35 years.

Brothers John and Clive Rutter were honoured for 39 and 35 years' service respectively at Jubilee Farm, Nunnington, near York. John, 55, and Clive, 51, grew up on the mixed arable farm and worked with their father, Leslie, a former long-service award winner.

Long service tankards also went to Brian Akers for 40 years' service at The Grange, Baldersby Park, Topcliffe; Frederick Fairburn for 57 years with Oswald Potter Farms, at The Brooms, Baldersby St James, Thirsk; Ian Gilpin for 49 years with Hares of Snape, near Bedale; Brian Kirby, who worked for Raby Estates office, at Staindrop, near Darlington, for 48 years; Stuart Northcliffe, who put in 36 years for Webster's at Well, near Bedale; Michael Stanton for 35 years as agent for the Countess of Swinton at Swinton estate, Masham; Frank Thurston, a gamekeeper on the Cliffe estate at Piercebridge, near Darlington, for 40 years; Frank Bruce and John Metcalfe for 40 years and 37 years respectively at West Heslerton farms, Malton; Dennis Hudson for 35 years with Campbell and Penty, of York; Alan Upton for 35 years at Knapton Hall, near Malton; Keith Walker for 43 years with the British Agricultural Training Association at Amotherby, Malton; and David Prest, who retired at this year's show after 45 years as a sheep steward.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society's student of the year award went to Anna Mizrachi, who gained a first-class degree in animal science at Leeds University after researching the performance of runt piglets.

* Show organisers said yesterday was particularly busy as people made the most of the second consecutive warm, sunny day.

Traffic problems of the previous day had also been resolved with the addition of extra signs and temporary traffic lights.